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Arizona Governor Signs Harsh New Anti-Immigrant Law

This afternoon, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed an anti-immigrant law that has come under fire from human rights and civil liberties groups. The law, passed by the state’s Senate on Monday, would allow Arizona police to arrest anyone who they suspect of being in the country illegally and who can’t immediately prove otherwise.

Earlier today, President Obama called the Arizona bill “misguided” and said that his staff will monitor whether its enforcement poses a threat to civil liberties.

Marge Baker, Executive Vice President of People For the American Way, issued the following statement:

“In signing this proposal into law, Gov. Brewer has dealt a blow to efforts to fix the country’s immigration system in an honest, respectful, and pragmatic way. The campaign that brought this bill to her desk did so by appealing to fears and resentments, exploiting divisions, and peddling dangerous generalizations. We are disappointed that Gov. Brewer did not stand up to a right-wing smear campaign that has labeled all immigrants as criminals, and demanded blatant racial profiling by police in her state.

“Gov. Brewer’s decision will be an indelible black mark on her legacy as governor. We hope that Americans across the country will work toward real, workable immigration reform in a way that respects the dignity of every human being and honors the core values of our nation.”